Narad Jatav, who was beaten to death in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh on November 26, 2024. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements
A 30-year-old Dalit man has been beaten to death allegedly by the village panchayat head and his family members in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri district, police said on Wednesday.
Four accused, including the village sarpanch, have been arrested, while the other four are absconding.
According to police, the incident took place on Tuesday around 4 pm in Indergarh village under Subhashpura police station limits. Village sarpanch Padam Singh Dhakad and some of his family members were accused of assaulting Narad Jatav following a dispute over a bore well.
Mr. Narad is a resident of Gwalior district and came to visit his maternal uncle, Vidhya Jatav, in Indergarh.
Shivpuri Superintendent of Police, Aman Singh Rathore, said The Hindu the four accused, including the prime accused Padam Singh Dhakad, were jailed there.
“We have announced a reward for the four absconding people and the search team,” he said.
An FIR under the charge of murder and relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, was filed against eight persons. The other accused are Mr. Padam Singh’s brother, Moharpal Dhakad, his son Ankesh Dhakad, and other family members.
Mr. Rathore said there was a dispute between the Jatav and Dhakad families over the water supply. Family members of the victims said they also invested in the well. “The two sides had a verbal arrangement to use the water for the paddy fields, but on Tuesday an argument broke out between them that led to violence,” the SP said.
A video claimed of the incident which is doing rounds on the Internet shows a group of people beating Mr. Narad Jatav with sticks and batons with several others, including women, looking on.
After the incident, the victim was taken to Shivpuri medical college but could not be saved, police said.
No arrests have been made, the victim’s father said
His body was cremated on Wednesday evening. After the cremation, Vishnu Jatav, father of the deceased, said that his son was brutally beaten by the accused. “I came here after he was killed. He just went to see his uncle and I don’t know what the dispute was but the Dhakads were beaten to death,” he said.
Mr. Vishnu also said that the local police did not take any action in the beginning.
“My brothers and sisters went to the police, but they did not listen and asked them to leave. The police now say they have arrested (four) accused but no one has been arrested. He is still absent,” he added.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed grief over the incident and announced a financial assistance of ₹ 4 lakh to the victim’s family.
“I have directed the Minister-in-charge Pradyuman Singh Tomar to meet the families of the victims, who will also give a check for the amount of assistance to the families of the victims. There is no place for cruelty and anarchy in Madhya Pradesh. Our government is serious about such anarchists,” said Mr. Yadav in post X.
Mr. Rathore also said that the police were also checking whether all the eight accused were present at the scene of the incident.
“We got information that some of the names mentioned in the complaint may not be there. We are verifying it,” he said.
Mafia flourishes: Congress
The Congress slammed the state’s BJP government for atrocities against Dalits and criticized the Chief Minister for his frequent foreign visits.
“Look at the grave irony of BJP! On one hand, the whole country is celebrating Constitution Day, people are talking about Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s ideas, and on the other hand, under BJP rule, a Dalit sister is being beaten to death. Today, BJP rule has become synonymous with exploitation and atrocities on Dalits. Even in the 21st century, atrocities are being committed on Dalit families,” said Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari in X.
“The State Home Minister (Mr. Yadav holds the Home portfolio) is on holiday abroad, and the mafia that thrives under his protection here is writing new stories of atrocities on Dalit families every day,” he said.
Congress MLA from Pohri Kailash Kushwaha from Shivpuri led protests in the area to demand Mr. Padam Singh’s removal as village panchayat chief. He said that the sarpanch’s family had illegally grabbed government land in the village and sought to remove the encroachment.
Mr. Kushwaha also blamed the local police for negligence and demanded the suspension of the responsible officials.
Published – 27 November 2024 20:59 IST
